11.03.2007
Are we ready for democracy in Burma?
_ By Victor S Khambil
Once a rice-basket of Asia but now the poorest nation on earth where the people have spent decades struggling for freedom by following the political guidance of a revered lady under ruthless despotic military rulers, Union of Burma has been burning under military rulers since 1962. As the Burmese people languish under politic-ignorant military regime whose practices include obsolete communist style of forced labor, rape, torture, and execution of every opponent even for verbal criticism—the world has attempted with several strategies to help Burma to bring about change. After dispatching special envoys, UN Right watch groups, wielding sanctions, tons of speeches and even UN security council resolution but the result—is that the prospects for reform in military rule Burma continue to decline. Rooted deeply in all kind of corruptions for 45 years under military rule, the lady is still determined to push forward with nonviolent movement to break the shackles of world worst dictatorship.
The regime who play politic with martial law in Burma change even the country name into Myanmar and filled the nation with full of forgeries in politic, economic and socialization. Eighteen years ago, the military generals inexplicably allowed multi party democracy general election in which civilians led NLD party won 80 % of the parliament seats. Not only the military generals ignored the result but immediately arresting politicians and people they fear and dread all kind of election anymore ever since. The lady still seems not to lower her nonviolent strategy to secure free and fair democracy for Union of Burma from military regime. Even if the world has recognizes her cause and integrity, they only pile huge of awards including Nobel Peace Prize for Aungsan Suu Kyi but unable to rescue her and the people she represented in Burma who are trampled under the boots of military regime or 18 years. She have gained worldwide fame and brought attention to her suffering people but failed to outmatch the regime in Burmese political game since she has been put under house arrest ever since she garnered a landslide victory over the regime in 1990 election.
Burma is a major exporter of illicit drugs and only manufactures thousands of refugees, living with unchecked diseases, HIVs and other criminal activities which certainly pose as regional threat. Burma has been the second largest opium producer just behind Afghanistan. Columbia styled drug cartel in notorious Golden Triangle which located at the tri-junction of Burma, Laos and Thai borders where drug lord Khun Sa has been reigning as king even if the world know about him. As snake knows snake most, Khun Sa safely took refuge under Burmese military rulers when the world stepped up pressure on the junta to fight hordes of army guarding the second largest opium farm in the world. All natural resources have been looted by military generals and put the nation seriously under the threat of natural resources absolute erosion. Moreover, the malfunctioning of administration system put everything imbalance in which everyone force to chunk out whatever available just to hang on for mere survival. The unbridgeable gap between governmental workers’ never-enough salaries and skyrocketing prices is the most harming force and destructive element to fight for one own life. The undisciplined rulers are happy with all things erratic but allergic to all kind of justices. Burma has been spinning under erratic administration system for more than four decades and badly in need of perpetual constitution. What ridiculous it is that military rulers in Burma has been drafting constitution since 1992 until today without able to wrap up. The world longest National Convention has been ostensibly moving on in the air where 52 civilians are totally hopeless for good result from the longest convention. A man even jokes that “Having hope in this NC will be like expecting a good swimmer floating dead himself who swim to rescue flood victim in the sea.”
The national convention will surface with nothing good for the people of Burma but hordes of rotten fish killed underneath the ocean by heavy earthquake. The military regime already drafted constitution according to their wish but this convention is just to design the cover page of already drafted military constitution. The debates, proposals, revised and all mini-redrafted chapters at national convention are highly unlikely to bear fruits for 52 millions Burmese. Politicians in exile also should come out with each of their own drafted bills, alternative copies, comparisons and other loads of law related compilations. If the mouthwatering democracy for Burma is a man, he should surely be the most loaded person with heaviest burdens on his back to walk up the big mountain.
We must be cautious to distinguish between teamwork and individual politics. I believe that the lack of state constitution in Burma is a factor behind today political chaos in which lawless people can dominate the lawless land. It is the result of team spirit among compromising politicians in building a progressive nation but it also is a result of constitutional crisis in destructive nation as individual politics is largely at loose in which dictatorship is usually in the driving seat. To re-erect the fallen civilization into democratic new society in Burma should take a long journey since the same law enforcement who serves under lawless military rulers for decades could not be changed overnight into a thorough new resource. The corrupted mentality among Burmese people is the most dangerous and insidious terrorist threatening in Burmese civilization since successive military rulers themselves are the most corrupted people. Most political activists in today Burma are born after Burma fall under military dictatorship in 1962 and personally never felt the taste of democracy except smelling the knowledge of democracy after 1988 nationwide demonstration. Filling fear inside every individual in Burma is the best tool for junta to grip on their guns.
Millions of democratic and undemocratic debates, arguments, and writings have been splashed on internet surfaces regarding politics in Burma but all come to square one on Driving one way into military politic, the junta will only come out solely depending upon a lady under house arrest with daydreaming on illusory super-power nation invasion of Burma for change. Are we really ready for democracy in Burma? Are we prepared enough to ride on democracy vehicle? We better be beware of another takeover on a new default, a system at fault or overloaded carriage that need to be unloaded by someone standby. More than four decades rule under military government resulted in environmental degradation, rising energy prices, volatile monetary, unprotected health and all kind of human right violations. However with all loads of injustices, the military regime still can hang on ruling 52 millions Burmese. To the illegal government who need no ballot, all verbal materials we threw in front of them are illegal knowledge and alternatives for them. What they believe the best is the future Burma in which military regime will have dominant role to play-- if not nothing is good for the regime.
The military will come out with their own sponsored constitution; whether the people concur or not is not a matter for them since they are the government of Burma to themselves. Even if the military government knows that they are not legal government, they believe they govern no matter as a government or not. Therefore this pseudo government no way shall rubbish the constitution they believe best to suit them in preference to non-military politicians. The people must better prepare and get ready to repel the upcoming devastating monster about to be spewed out of National Convention and bring total havoc to future politic in Burma. Now is a good time for all Burmese citizens to set a winning strategy before concessionary approach lest it sweep us along with the military political rubbish flooding into 52 millions Burmese probably within this year or next. According to Myanmar military generals, the floodgate of National Convention is likely to open sooner or later in which all citizens will be cheated again by holding sham national referendum or look like to take people opinion poll which will automatically strike open the winning door for military regime. The establishment of Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) is the clear evidence of military tactic to set down another deception in which the military regime systematically painted them with public support from outside view.
The mouthwatering democracy for Union of Burma has no seat in the regime sponsored National Convention. What the junta escort as democracy into the public will surely be the wrong guy in the right time while the right guy will still remain confined. Let prepare for the worst but also live with hope and solidarity in people power. Only if we can get rid off military elitism in Burma then the people will get genuine Independent and freely live in what God bless as liberty for men. After Burma was fallen under British Empire and lost sovereignty since 1885, but the sovereign independent which the British government gave back to Burma on January 4, 1948 did not reach to the people of Burma but plundered by home born military terrorist on the way from Britain to Burma and has been fallen under another occupation by the home born terrorists until today. Burma is now an independent nation in the air but not on the ground since 1948. Therefore the people of Burma today are not only desirous of democracy but desperately hungry for the genuine Independence which they lost centuries ago first to foreign invaders and again to it own home born immoral military leaders who irreparably lost standards of behaviors from civilized world.
The retrogressive political situation of Burma is not an alarmingly surprising event as the moral standards of people in power are insidiously destructive in general and unable to meet the level of political ethics. We all the people of Burma should examine ourselves and test our morality, mentality, and ethical reasoning. Freedom and democracy without the moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour will be destructive instead of collective to all.
“Where honesty reigns, liberty bears fruits”
.
Comments:
TaungPaingThar said _
You hit the bulls-eye, but who will bell or kill the cat?
Timtenem said _
You made your word very strong, may be stronger than the nightmare itself in Burma?
Your Comments here_ please do not use { < ! > }
Request: If you can kindly volunteer to translate BURMA DIGEST English articles into Burmese, please let us know burmadigest@tayzathuria.org.uk .
Last issue's English article
